Cedric's Last Will and Testament
by brielle-watterson
Summary: This is a short memoir that explains the end of Cedric. In a dark and murky world, he learns the true meaning behind benevolence.


******This is a short memoir that came into my mind. A few days ago while we were in cclass, we read the story On the Sidewalk Bleeding, which is about a young teenager who is wounded by another gang member. Well, because of this, I made this story similar, in the same situation: death. Only this time, Cedric is drowning, and he was stabbed by a sword from an enemy soldier instead of a gang member with a knife. _Warning: _Is not a sweet story, and contains sadness.********

The light from the surface-as white as a wall-faded away ever-so slowly, dissipating into nothing, while a pair of amber eyes appeared from the darkness. A man lay there, dying, with a wound of a sword stab located on his left side, starting below the rib cage and had been drawn across his body violently. Blood leaked through the green shirt he wore, running through the creases and disappearing into the water in small red wisps.

The man's name was Cedric, and the name was delicately scripted in black, in the eyes of death, carried across his mind. It marked him, flooding with the memories and thoughts and emotions it held, then pouring it down from his mind, to his chest, and into his heart. It came with a great impact, making the pain disappear and replacing it with the three things. How had this happen? Why did it have to happen? Why here? Why now?

From ever since he could remember, Cedric had always carried the pride of being a sorcerer, thinking that he had a purpose, while others thought he never had one to start with. It all seemed to link together-from not being highly thought of by Roland to Baileywick's rude and flat comments, he screwed up on almost every spell and potion he performed.

He had no friends. He had no one.

And there that sorcerer watched, shunned by the world, as hate filled his heart and unhappiness grew day by day, clinging onto him and never letting go. The dark estate held him hostage, never letting any joy or bliss inside the walls he was forever compelled in. Only pain, sorrow and anger seemed to exist in the stillness.

But many years later, after many days of endless sleeping, false thinking and never-ending taunting from the world, a miracle happened. He was ignorant at first, still in his stubborn cocoon as always, refusing to truly open his eyes. Cedric thought that Sofia was just another person who was entering his life, another being who was there to taunt once more, to think nothing of and leave, just like all the others. But as time flew by, the more and more greater he realized that he was wrong.

It had made a grave impact on Cedric when the princess came. And now it had all led to this. All the moments, all the memories, and all the conversations. He wanted to cry. He wanted to smile. He wanted to see her, hear her, hold her-anything to feel her warmth, which felt like sunshine, run through his broken veins, and make him feel alive once more.

As the oxygen disappeared little by little, he thought of how much of a fool he had been. How could he have been so blind? So…ignorant? Every time he saw her, all he could think about was that amulet, and never had he once stop to listen to her words-her feelings. He fussed and fussed over a stupid necklace, and kept his mind on his "taking over the kingdom" plan, that he had never even heard a word she said to him.

Sorrow came like a tidal wave as he continued to be buoyant, hovering in the water, having not yet reached the bottom where the sand lay. As his pale hands continued to be still, the icy water numbed his body, not letting him move.

_ So this is it,_ he thought. _After everything I've been through… It all comes to this._ Cedric's eyes never left the surface, which was far out of reach, no longer listening to sounds of the battle that occurred just above the steep cliff. He had fallen once he was stabbed, falling for what seemed forever until he reached the hard water, and disappeared into the darkness. Everything but the image of Sofia was all on his mind. Pain soared through him as he thought of the little princess, knowing that he of all people had failed her.

It happened in a matter of minutes-a different kingdom attacked theirs. Why they were there and what they were fighting for…that he never knew. And now Cedric knew that he never will.

But he didn't care. The pain that he felt had nothing to do with that. It all had to do with Sofia.

_ Roland was right,_ he admitted to himself in his thoughts_. I am a fool. Sofia…I'm so sorry._ He would have been crying by now if he had not been in water, but he could still feel the tears sting his eyes, only to travel down to his heart and drown it, along with the rest of the seawater. By now he realized that everything he ever wanted was in her. And it brought his heart more than pain knowing that not even a goodbye was said to the only one who had ever truly believed in him.

A muffled whimper, almost a cry, interrupted the silence and faded away. But Cedric did not panic. He lost his wand, his robe was left in the workshop-he knew he was dying. There was nothing that could save him now. But he was happy-it would bring him peace. He would no longer listen to Roland or Baileywick's false words, he would no longer be troubled in between his parents-everything would be gone. All the pain, all the sorrow, and all the rejection would leave.

But Sofia would stay there, in his mind, and safe and sound in his heart. Cedric didn't know if he even had one or not, but if he did, he knew that she would be there. And there she would stay, just like he would stay in hers.

Unfortunately, he could already hear her weeping endlessly, finding out that he was gone, and wasn't coming back. In his mind, he could hear her soft wails as she cried out, "Why did you leave me?! Why?! How could you leave me?!" And he knew that he would watch her from afar, seeing her in a depressed state, unable to do nothing, like a ghost in someone's dream.

Sofia was the best part of him. He knew that by now, and he took pride for it. Perhaps he was great. If not to them, if not to the world, then maybe just to her. There was no need to take over the kingdom if he had her. It wouldn't be necessary. Besides, what would it bring him? It wouldn't bring him respect. Taking over the kingdom and forcing the former king to leave would only cause more to hate him.

And truly, that wasn't what he wanted.

Cedric never really saw himself as a love-starved sorcerer, but he had to face it eventually. Did anyone even know what it was like? To live a life with no companions, to only have a bird to talk to throughout his or her days? At first he thought no one had ever felt anything like it. He thought he was the only one. The outcast. The screw-up. The black sheep. Hatred had taken its toll on him. And now here he was, lying in the waters of a forgotten ocean, paying for it, losing his life every agonizing second.

Then, out of his thoughts, Sofia appeared again.

_ Forgive me, my beloved Sofia, but I am afraid I cannot stay with you in this world any longer. I'm so sorry…_

The world began to fade, and it was a relief to him. The weight of the depression flew off his shoulders as his heart rate continued to beat slower. And for the last time, he thought of Sofia once more, wishing that he could be with her instead of lying here in the cold grasp of freezing water, all by himself.

Alone. Again.

One last whimper escaped from him, only to be heard by no one. He closed his eyes and imagined Sofia, seeing her smile at him one last time, ever-so happy, then plunged into the darkness.

"From childhood's hour I have not been. As others were, I have not seen. As others saw, I could not awaken. My heart to joy at the same tone. And all I loved, I loved alone." _-Edgar Allan Poe_


End file.
